Recording Cited In Arrest Of Ex-trooper

Officials Say Tape Reveals Cocaine Plot

The new case against Ramon Valentin, the former state trooper accused last year of dealing cocaine, is based on a tape purportedly showing he recently asked someone to hide cocaine.

Federal prosecutors outlined the new evidence against Valentin, who was arrested again Tuesday, as they asked a magistrate Wednesday to jail the 33-year-old ex-trooper. Valentin had been free on $750,000 bail since his arrest on 18 state felony charges last fall.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas P. Smith ordered Valentin held without bail until at least Aug. 3, when he will consider the government's motion that Valentin be detained indefinitely as a flight risk and public danger.

Local, state and federal authorities arrested Valentin Tuesday night on the federal charge of possession of more than 500 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute, which carries a minimum mandatory sentence of five years.

According to a government affidavit, Valentin asked an acquaintance to hide 2.2 pounds of cocaine in the furnace beneath a dental center at 1000 Albany Ave. in Hartford, unaware that the man was a Hartford police informant.

David Kenary, a Hartford police officer temporarily assigned to the FBI, seized the cocaine Sunday. When Valentin returned Monday and learned that the drugs were missing, he became upset and called the acquaintance, the affidavit says.

The man who hid the drugs told Valentin, who lives in New Britain, that another person was claiming that Valentin had taken the cocaine.

``Why would I do that? It's mine,'' Valentin said ``in substance,'' according to the affidavit. The document says Valentin's remarks are approximate, because the tape has not been transcribed yet.

Valentin, who wore handcuffs as marshals led him into a courtroom in U.S. District Court in Hartford. Gerald Klein, who represents Valentin, announced in open court he had a conflict of interest and would have to withdraw from the case -- if an assumption made by Valentin about the identity of the police informant was correct.

``Is this the guy?'' Klein asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Markle, showing him a slip of paper with a name.

It was, Markle replied. Klein told Smith that he represented the informant 10 years ago in a murder or manslaughter case. Klein said he had to withdraw since part of Valentin's defense could involve using the old case to attack the informant's credibility.